Tarlton Corporation, a St. Louis-based general contracting and construction management firm, has won one of the construction industry’s highest honors – the 2019 JLT Build America Award.

The award recognizes Tarlton’s work on the $8 million restoration project of the Stephen and Peters Sachs Museum for the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. The project was chosen from a highly competitive field of entries nationwide.

The JLT Build America Award is sponsored by the Associated General Contractors of America, the nation’s largest and oldest construction trade association. For more than 30 years, the Build America Award has recognized AGC members that build the nation’s most impressive construction projects ranging across building, highway and transportation, utility infrastructure and federal and heavy divisions. The awards were presented April 2 at the AGC’s 100th annual national convention in Denver. Accepting the award on Tarlton’s behalf were Sondra Rotty and Joshua Fisk, project director and project manager, respectively, for the Sachs Museum project, along with Scott Green, manager of construction technology, and Tracy Hart, president. Additional members of the Tarlton team on the winning project were Andrew Kovarik, project executive; Brian Julius, project engineer; Dustin Norton, project superintendent; and Cameron Beattie and Greg Sweeso, preconstruction.

The Build America Awards program honors the “best of the best” among construction projects nationwide. Build America recipients are selected by a panel of a contractor’s toughest critics – other contractors. Judges look for projects that have “excelled in state-of-the-art advancement; project management; innovation in construction techniques or use of materials; safety; client service; community relations; environmental sensitivity and partnering.”

“Recognition by one’s peers is one of the highest honors a general contractor can receive,” said Hart. “We are proud of the skill, teamwork and spirit of the Tarlton team on the restoration of the Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum – widely considered one of the most historically significant buildings in the Midwest. In addition, the award represents the collaboration of the project owner and stakeholders who share our passion for construction, core principles and values that helped guide the complex, multi-faceted construction process – resulting in a restored building that makes a lasting contribution to the community.”

Tarlton’s work on the 7,000-square-foot Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum, an iconic pre-Civil War structure on the grounds of the world-renowned Missouri Botanical Garden, won in the “Building Renovation Under $10 million” category. The museum, which was opened in 1859 by St. Louis businessman and philanthropist Henry Shaw, served as the Garden’s first scientific research facility, library and herbarium of more than 62,000 specimens. The building had been closed to the public for more than three decades prior to the renovation. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Working with project architect Christner Inc., Tarlton’s scope of work included an aggressive schedule, unforeseen conditions and an unexpected discovery during the demolition of a plaster drop ceiling: the paintings of three noted botanists on a barrel-vault ceiling hidden above the false ceiling in a room adjacent to the main exhibit hall. The discovery temporarily halted work while conservators from EverGreene Architectural Arts in Brooklyn, N.Y., worked on the careful restoration.

In the main exhibit hall, construction and artistry worked side by side as the Tarlton team restored historic finishes, completed structural improvements and erected scaffolding to allow EverGreene art conservators to access the ceiling two stories up. There, they undertook the painstaking replication of a painted botanical mural spanning 12 separate panels overhead.

To usher visitors into the building, Tarlton built a modern 2,000-square-foot addition that provides accessibility to the museum and houses public amenities. The two-story addition’s glass curtainwall provides occupants with a feeling of being surrounded by nature and was designed in accordance with preservation principles outlined by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and the U.S. National Park Service.

Tarlton’s restoration of the Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum marks the firm’s fifth Build America Award in recent history. In 2015, Tarlton won for its work on the $90 million LEED® Gold Olin Business School expansion project at Washington University in St. Louis; in 2008, for the historic renovation of a former Maplewood church into new headquarters for Moosylvania, an independent advertising and promotions agency; and in 2007, for the critical first phase of the Cross County MetroLink expansion. In 2003, Tarlton received a Merit Award for its work on the Ameren Missouri Coal Transfer Terminal.

The Tarlton team that worked on the Sachs Museum also garnered a 2018 Construction Keystone Award from the AGC of Missouri for its work on the project. The AGC of Missouri, affiliated with AGC of America, represents approximately 550 construction and construction-related firms in the state of Missouri that perform building, highway and infrastructure construction.

St. Louis-based Tarlton Corp. is a Midwest leader in general contracting and construction management. The firm has completed many landmark projects in and around St. Louis and holds steadfast to its goal to improve the lives of St. Louisans through construction, civic involvement and philanthropy. In business since 1946, Tarlton Corp. is a WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprise that completes projects for wide-ranging clients in the life science, higher education, health care, commercial, power and industrial markets. Tarlton also has special expertise in concrete construction, restoration, repair and maintenance.

Marks the first phase of capital improvements to the iconic outdoor musical theater

Tarlton Corp., a St. Louis-based general contracting and construction management firm, is serving as construction manager for renovations to The Muny, America’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theater.

Tarlton, which has been providing preconstruction services, has begun the first phase of construction now that The Muny’s centennial summer season has concluded. In May, The Muny launched its first-ever public fundraising effort, “Second Century Capital Campaign,” to raise $100 million for capital improvements and ongoing maintenance of its 11.5-acre campus in Forest Park.

The scope of work includes rebuilding and revamping The Muny’s century-old stage to address structural needs and provide capabilities for modern stage technologies. A new revolving platform to move sets and actors more efficiently during productions will replace the existing turntable, which was installed in 1930. Other upgrades include tracks to move scenery and five lifts to bring materials and/or actors to the stage from below.

A new overhead light bridge of structural steel with an integrated walkway will replace the current cable light bridge system and provide infinite capabilities for lighting configurations. The Muny’s current lighting system also will be enhanced by all new LED lighting. Other improvements include additional LED screens for digital projections, which create unlimited color variations on and around the stage.

The Muny’s stage will undergo dramatic design changes. Two architectural shell-shaped towers constructed of steel, concrete, concrete masonry units and drywall will frame each side and conceal an array of electronics and sound equipment. Air ducts in the new towers will distribute air more evenly throughout the theater. At the close of The Muny’s 2019 season, a façade of durable glass fiber reinforced concrete panels will be installed. These panels are designed to reflect lighting and produce a wide spectrum of color.

In addition, a new, expanded climate-controlled orchestra pit situated under The Muny’s stage will accommodate musicians, who still will remain visible to Muny-goers, but in a protected environment more conducive for delicate musical instruments sensitive to humidity and temperature fluctuations.

The team will construct a full basement, new electrical and mechanical systems, new elevators, restrooms, locker rooms and general storage spaces.

“The renovations have been in the planning stages for years,” said Dennis Reagan, president and chief executive officer. “As we look toward the second century of The Muny, these improvements are designed to enhance the musical theater experience for St. Louisans and visitors and are vital to its future.”

“We are honored to be a part of this exciting renovation and continue our history in working with The Muny, an iconic cultural institution and summer favorite in St. Louis,” said Tarlton President Tracy Hart.

Tarlton has completed a host of renovation projects for The Muny over the last 20 years. Its work for the long-time Forest Park institution ranges from the installation of giant cooling fans to amphitheater, restroom and concession stand renovations. In addition, Tarlton has completed numerous miscellaneous projects including lighting work, plaza renovations, sidewalk repairs and handrail upgrades.

“The Muny” is the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theater. The popular amphitheater seats 11,000 people with approximately 1,500 free seats available. The Muny produces all of its musicals, offering seven productions that run seasonally from mid-June to mid-August. It is the largest outdoor theater to host Broadway-style musical theater and has a history of hosting top performers from theater, TV, film and stage.

In business since 1946, Tarlton Corp. is a WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprise that completes projects for wide-ranging clients in the commercial, life sciences, health care, institutional, power and industrial markets, also providing special expertise in concrete construction and restoration as well as hydro excavation and industrial vacuum services.

St. Louis-based Tarlton Corp., a leader in general contracting and construction management throughout the Midwest, announces the launch of its new website.

The launch coincides with an important milestone in Tarlton’s history—Founders Day, a day of companywide celebration each October 2 that marks the birthday of Art Elsperman, one of the firm’s founders and first generation of leaders.

The redesigned site, located at the company’s same web address at www.tarltoncorp.com, was created with user experience in mind, offering enhanced content, improved functionality, quick access to essential information and insight into the company’s capabilities. The website features bold photographs and a comprehensive overview of Tarlton, in business since 1946. A WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprise, Tarlton is the recipient of numerous local, regional and national industry awards for its many projects and is one of Engineering News-Record’s Top 400 Contractors nationally.

Among the new website features is a filter that allows visitors to search Tarlton’s projects by size, market type and/or specific attributes such as LEED-certified or historic renovation.

“We are excited to launch a newly revamped website that provides a rich online experience and underscores our commitment to our clients, industry and community, while also illustrating the winning strategies and solutions we bring to every project,” said Tracy Hart, president, Tarlton Corp.

Tarlton, which had 2016 revenues topping $171 million, completes projects for wide-ranging clients in the commercial, institutional, life science and industrial markets, with special expertise in concrete repair and restoration, power and energy, and hydro excavation.

Tarlton Corp., a St. Louis-based general contracting and construction management firm, completed construction on a new softball stadium for the Missouri Tigers softball team at University of Missouri, in Columbia.

To celebrate its new home and usher in the spring softball season, the team hosted the 2017 Mizzou Tournament on March 3, 4 and 5, welcoming top talent from around the country at the new stadium. Situated in the Mizzou Sports Park, the facility is east of Hearnes Center and visible from Stadium Boulevard. It replaces University Field.

Tarlton, which served as construction manager for the $17.5 million project financed primarily by private gifts, also provided preconstruction services. The team constructed the 20,000-square-foot facility on what was a commuter parking lot, redeveloping and transforming the space into the new softball stadium that provides fans with a full-view concourse, outfield plaza and new surface parking lot with more than 500 spaces. Work was completed March 2 and began March 1, 2016, following construction of a separate, nearby university parking lot.

The structural steel-framed building stands on a concrete foundation with a concrete slab and metal deck and aluminum grandstands. It includes a press box, concessions, heated dugouts, a locker room with video capabilities and meeting room for coaches. The venue also features lawn seating on a berm beyond the outfield wall for additional spectators.

Safety during construction was paramount, according to Cameron Denison, Tarlton senior project manager, and the project logged no recordable safety incidents. “The team demonstrated a high level of commitment to project safety, as the construction site was situated in the middle of the parking area used for home basketball and football games,” Denison said. “We worked closely with the university’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics to secure the site and ensure safety for pedestrians and motorists attending other sporting events.”

The softball stadium is Tarlton’s second project on the Columbia campus. The firm recently completed an expansion and renovations to Lafferre Hall, home of the university’s College of Engineering.

In business since 1946, Tarlton Corp. is a WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprise that completes projects for wide-ranging clients in the commercial, life sciences, health care, institutional, power and industrial markets, also providing special expertise in concrete construction and restoration as well as hydro excavation and industrial vacuum services.

Tarlton Corp., a St. Louis-based general contracting and construction management firm, is serving as construction manager on the $12 million expansion of the Garden Avenue Parking Garage at Webster University.

When completed in spring 2017, the 523,450-square-foot structure at 580 Garden Ave. will more than double the existing number of spaces in the garage and significantly boost Webster’s parking inventory on campus. The five-level precast concrete structure features thin-set brick, a drilled pier foundation and retaining walls, with Tarlton self-performing the structural concrete work.

The team is carrying out intensive construction while keeping the adjoining garage fully functional, with some areas closed intermittently during construction activities. Work includes deep excavation of more than 20 feet, with some drilled piers 38 feet deep. Precast concrete erection began in November, and interior work is scheduled to begin at the end of the year.

The commitment to safety is a critical component of the project. The team is navigating a mobile crane around overhead power lines and working in a tight staging area on an active college campus with high pedestrian and vehicular traffic. A high school campus is adjacent to the site and an active railroad line is within 100 feet of the building footprint.

“The Webster University Garden Avenue Parking Garage builds on our success as one of the region’s top construction managers and concrete experts,” said Tracy Hart, president, Tarlton Corp. “We are delighted to work on a project that will have such a positive impact on the Webster community.”

Many Tarlton projects have been recognized for excellence in concrete work, including the first section of the MetroLink Cross County Extension, the Saint Louis Art Museum Expansion and the Mechanical Dynamics & Analysis High Speed Balance Facility, all winners of Quality Concrete Awards from the Concrete Council of St. Louis. In addition, Tarlton Vice President Steve Cronin was inducted in 2016 into the council’s Concrete Hall of Fame.

With its home campus in St. Louis, Missouri, Webster University www.webster.edu comprises an action-oriented global network of faculty, staff, students and alumni who forge powerful bonds with each other and their communities around the globe. Founded in 1915, Webster is a private non-profit university with nearly 17,000 students studying at campus locations in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa and in a robust learning environment online. The university is committed to delivering high-quality learning experiences that transform students for global citizenship and individual excellence.

In business since 1946, Tarlton Corp. is a WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprise that completes projects for wide-ranging clients in the life science, higher education, health care, commercial, power and industrial markets. Tarlton also has special expertise in concrete construction, concrete restoration and hydrovac services.

The design-construction team of Arcturis and Tarlton Corp. announces that the project they completed at 700 Market St. in downtown St. Louis received LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. It was also recognized with an Edwin F. Guth Award for interior lighting design from the Illuminating Engineering Society.

The project was finished in April 2015 and is the new home of Spire (formerly The Laclede Group). Prior to the interior build-out for Spire, Tarlton completed the core and shell historic renovation of the structure for building owner The Koman Group. The building was the youngest listed on the National Register of Historic Places when it was added in 2008.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the U.S. Green Building Council’s rigorous green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices through four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. To receive LEED Gold certification, projects must earn a minimum of 60 points on the USGBC rating scale. The LEED Gold designation also recognizes minimized environmental impact, maximized occupant comfort and high-performing tenant spaces.

Major design and construction highlights of the project that helped earn the LEED Gold distinction include the following:

Nearly 53 percent of the on-site generated construction waste diverted from the landfill

Installation of materials and products with low volatile organic compounds for optimum indoor air quality

Reduction of potable water use by 39 percent through the use of efficient fixtures

Energy-saving LED lighting and connected lighting power

Extensive use of recycled building materials

An automated shade system that operates based on the sun’s position, season and room usage

A fully programmable lighting control system that automatically adjusts to harvest and maximize daylight

The Edwin F. Guth Award for interior lighting design from the Illuminating Engineering Society recognizes exceptional interior lighting projects that balance the functional illumination of space with the artistic application of light to enhance the occupant’s experience. The Spire project received the Award in September 2016.

Spire moved into the 130,000-square-foot, six-story structure in 2015. The building was designed by famed architect Philip Johnson, who won the 1979 Pritzker Architecture Prize for his work on its design. It had been vacant since 2004 prior to its recent redevelopment.

“The building at 700 Market St. has been an important part of our city’s architecture since it first opened its doors in 1977. We are proud to be part of the team that not only brought it back to life, but made it a more environmentally sound place to work and do business. We received these awards because of the combined commitment of Spire, Koman, Tarlton and Arcturis to honor its history and bring it into the future,” said Arcturis designer Brian Waite, LEED AP, IES, LC.

Tracy Hart, Tarlton president, noted this is Tarlton’s fifth LEED Gold project. “Sustainable construction has become standard practice in our industry, with building owners and project teams looking to build sustainably on every project, registered or not,” she added. “Having built our LEED Silver headquarters in 2004, we know how to build these buildings, and we’re proud to help create healthful work environments.”

Tarlton Corp., a St. Louis-based general contracting and construction management firm, is serving as construction manager on the 59,000-square-foot renovation of Bryan Hall on the Danforth Campus at Washington University in St. Louis.

The Tarlton team is transforming Bryan Hall, dedicated in 1970, into a world-class facility consisting of high-end laboratory and teaching spaces for the Department of Chemistry in Arts & Sciences. The renovation will add more than 25,000 square feet of space for chemistry research, with additional spaces for existing research groups. On the first and second floors, the building’s vibration-sensitive design supports instrument-based chemistry. The third floor will eventually house radio/nuclear chemistry research laboratories, with the fourth and fifth floors home to fume hood-intensive synthetic laboratories as well as additional space for instrumentation-based chemistry.

Tarlton’s renovation of Bryan Hall began in May 2016 and will continue through to scheduled completion in December 2017, with occupancy of the building planned for spring 2018. Ayers Saint Gross is the project architect. Bryan Hall previously served as classroom and meeting spaces for the School of Engineering & Applied Science.

The renovation includes the reconstruction of the existing elevated span between Bryan Hall and chemistry facilities in McMillan Hall, allowing for office space, meeting space and better flow between the two buildings. The span is a connecting space but also serves as a critical gateway for students and visitors to access the inner portion of the campus. In addition, a new penthouse will house mechanical equipment to serve Bryan Hall. The equipment will serve an integral role in providing chilled water for the campus water loop. Work also includes the removal of the north face of Bryan Hall, the first of several buildings on the north end of the Danforth campus to receive a new facade as part of a multi-phase plan. The modern glass and a terracotta skin sunscreen system is designed to dramatically enhance the building’s appearance.

A separate project is the demolition and replacement of the pedestrian bridge that crosses Forest Park Parkway, to be replaced with one that offers a wider corridor with separate bike and pedestrian paths. Work on the pedestrian bridge began in summer 2016 and will be completed next summer.

The renovation is part of “Driving Discovery,” Washington University’s multiphase initiative that will create new research and teaching facilities for the sciences on the north end of the Danforth campus.

“Driving Discovery will create an ecosystem – an interconnected community of scientists and students working in state-of-the-art facilities – that fosters innovation and collaboration,” said Barbara A. Schaal, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences and the Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biology in Arts & Sciences.

“We’re delighted to lead the construction team on the Bryan Hall renovation,” said Tracy Hart, president, Tarlton Corp. “The project builds on our successful relationship with Washington University and adds to our long-standing body of work on the campus.” The Tarlton team for the renovation includes Matthew Pfund, project executive; Sondra Rotty, senior project manager; Andrew Nelch, project manager; Nick Eshelman and Josh Narup, project engineers; and Eric Nichols, project superintendent.

Significant Tarlton construction projects for Washington University include the $90 million LEED Gold Olin Business School expansion of Knight Hall and Bauer Hall, which garnered a national 2015 Alliant Build America Award; Simon Hall renovations, a finalist for a 2016 Construction Keystone Award from the Associated General Contractors of Missouri; a LEED Gold addition to McMillan Hall; Anheuser-Busch Law Building renovations; Seigle Hall; the Knight Executive Education Center; Koenig and Liggett residence halls; and the Earth & Planetary Sciences Building, the first LEED Certified project in St. Louis.

In business since 1946, Tarlton Corp. is a WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprise that completes projects for wide-ranging clients in the life science, higher education, health care, commercial, power and industrial markets.

Construction crews and employees of Tarlton Corp. turned construction job sites into a plethora of pink on Friday, October 7, in a company-wide display of unity in support of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The Tarlton Team at 40 North Euclid, a commercial construction site for a mixed-use building by The Koman Group, joined hundreds of Tarlton employees, staff and subcontractors throughout St. Louis and the Midwest region as part of Tarlton’s “Sporting Pink–Let’s Build a Cure,” initiative.

The event topped off Tarlton’s “Pedal the Cause,” campaign, in which the firm has been a sponsor and participant since 2010, raising a lifetime total of nearly $35,500. Team Tarlton hopes to boost that amount in 2016 through Sporting Pink–Let’s Build a Cure and other donations.